BACK in the 1990s I unwittingly became a public interest discloser — a public servant branded as ‘a whistleblower’. You can read all about in Bill De Mara’s book — Deadly Disclosures published by Wakefield Press in 1999.

This was a difficult period of my life because some malicious rumours about me were then circulated. Their aim was to alienate me from my work mates and clients; to damage me personally and my professional standing. The rumours spread like wild fire. I remember casually walking into the busy tea room one day and the room fell silent; it then emptied out completely. I didn’t understand what had happened, but I knew it had to do with me. Several weeks after I was dismissed from my job a good friend gathered up enough courage to tell me what rumours were being put about.

It shocked me but now I understood the reaction of others toward me. It definitely had the desired effect and the revelation nearly overwhelmed me psychologically. I nearly gave up everything I believed in.

Luckily I had many good people who supported me during those dark times. At the time I recall a conversation I had with a friend. It was one of those surreal moments when clarity of understanding comes out of simple conversation My friend was a country Tasmanian bushie and he’d seen similar sorts of shenanigans in various guises all through his life.

He was a good listener and a story-teller. Unexpectedly he asked me what I knew about sheep mauling. It took me by surprise because I was totally focussed on what was happening to me. I was the one being mauled and all he wanted to do was to chat about sheep! I recall giving a pretty colourless and factual description on this behaviour from my limited experience as a vet and a pathologist — about it occurring on remote sheep runs; its links to wild dogs & dingoes attacking with stealth and cunning under cover of darkness; repeatedly killing over several days, blah, blah , blah … I banged on.

A wry smile came across my friend’s face and he had a different version of how dogs maul and kill sheep. From his experience this could happen much closer to home than I was giving credit. In Tasmania it wasn’t the wild dog or the free-ranging dingo that was the commonest culprit; it was more than likely the domesticated dog with the cunning to live a double life. These dogs usually came from hobby farms in semi-rural areas. Just one uncontrolled dog allowed free rein could run amuck on neighbouring sheep properties and turn up home as placid as you please for a feed and pat from their unsuspecting owners.

But, the real trouble with these dogs was their capacity to involve other local dogs in their antics. The local mutts would join in on the chase and the chance to maul. That one attack dog could encourage a pack of hangers-on — all manner of local bitsas — short legged terriers, sausage dogs and even old family pets.

And then came his punch line. “See Dave, it just takes one dominant dog to teach others to join in.”

The penny dropped.

That animal instinct of joining in to attack, to wound and to destroy was up close and personal.

Today in Tasmania who will be the victim or victims of a public or private mauling? Who is will be the dominant ‘dog’? And who will form ‘the pack’?

David Obendorf

This was a difficult period of my life because some malicious rumours about me were then circulated. Their aim was to alienate me from my work mates and clients; to damage me personally and my professional standing. The rumours spread like wild fire. I remember casually walking into the busy tea room one day and the room fell silent; it then emptied out completely. I didn’t understand what had happened, but I knew it had to do with me. Several weeks after I was dismissed from my job a good friend gathered up enough courage to tell me what rumours were being put about.

Very interesting story, David. I had a similar adventure in the Australian Public Service in 1998. The Howard Government had ‘reformed’ our department and this by necessity involved senior public servants heavily engaged in con sessions.

Meetings and announcements designed to deceive the staff and general public. Billions of dollars redirected away from services we normally provided to our clients. I spoke up. Coincidentally my promotion didn’t eventuate.

Posted by Brenda Rosser on 21/09/06 at 09:58 AM

I vividly recall your experiences David.

In Tasmania there are many victims of both public and private maulings. The dominant ‘dog’ is usually the person who has been promoted by negative evolution, and ‘the pack’ are those who likewise wish to be promoted or those who just want to stay where they are.

These dogs don’t have ethics and they are unaware that Shakespeare wrote “unto thyself be true”

Posted by Geraldine Allan on 21/09/06 at 10:28 AM

As someone who has shared a similar experience to yourself I can appreciate your feelings of distrust/dismay. The thing you realise that in the end you can only truly rely on yourself and if you stay true your beliefs and values it always works out in the end.
Trust me.

Posted by Wes Young on 21/09/06 at 11:28 AM

Obendorf is self-indulgent and self-centered and probably cannot see the irony that I see in his post.

On Tasmanian Times, the forest industry and Gunns are the “sheep” and David should hazard a guess at the name of at least one member of the pack of howling dogs.

Posted by very annoyed on 23/09/06 at 10:49 AM

“the forest industry and Gunns are the “sheep”..”

VA - there’s a difference between a sheep and a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Matthew 7:15
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (NIV).

Posted by Brenda Rosser on 23/09/06 at 01:12 PM

Interesting angle “very annoyed” ...although Gunns seem to be doing ok….they are not the stereotype I have in mind for sheep under seige.

Generally, it appears that whistleblowers have little to gain by doing so, and infact can more than likely predict they are opening up a can of worms that would be easier left unopened. They must weigh up the piece of mind they can achieve through exposing the corruption and dishonesty versus the grief that will be thrust upon them by those trying to protect their interests / reputations etc. It must take considerable courage and conviction.

Observers need to ask themselves what both sides have to gain from their slant, I would think more often than not the whistleblower has little to gain and is the one of the right side of the truth. Greed does lead to corruption ....surely we are not disputing there is a fair bit of greed alive and well.

Posted by Craig Woodfall on 23/09/06 at 01:58 PM

Excellent repartee from ‘very annoyed’ or is that now ‘super annoyed’ by another alias!

But pray tell VA, what is the irony that you see…please share your thoughts.

Let’s keep yapping, if it sounds, looks or smells good, I guarantee a pack will form pretty quickly. If not it just two dogs sniffing each other’s tails!

Posted by David Obendorf on 23/09/06 at 04:24 PM

#6. Observers ought see the benefit - the gain from the position of the whistleblowers is that in the records, history usually sorts out fact from fiction. Most would prefer to be descendants of the victims rather than descendants of the perpetrators.

Posted by Geraldine Allan on 25/09/06 at 10:49 AM

Get real, Geraldine. The genuine victims tend not to have descendants. We are all descended from perpetrators. All we can do is support whistleblowers here and now.

I reckon there’s a lot more fiction than fact in history, at least in the history we read today.

In the future history will have been rewritten to suit those in power, so today’s heroes will have been either slandered or forgotten.

Posted by Justa Bloke on 25/09/06 at 01:54 PM

Looks like whistleblowers have been replaced by document leakers!

Posted by David Mohr on 25/09/06 at 03:47 PM

Safer option I reckon.

Posted by Craig Woodfall on 25/09/06 at 09:30 PM

Ive been round long enough to remember the episode David,and sadly whistle blowers seldom beat city hall,however i,d do exactly the same in similar circumstances because i like to be able sleep at nights, i ain,t rich but i sleep bloody well, and as “CHIPPY” SAID KEEP THE BASTARDS HONEST ! or at least try.
d.d.

Posted by DON DAVEY on 17/11/06 at 09:31 PM

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